Methods of making a resilient contact apparatus and resilient contact probes

Abstract

Carriers comprising a carrier body having a plurality of openings holding a plurality of resilient contact probes are disclosed. A number of different embodiments for the resilient contact probes is also disclosed. The carriers of the present invention may be secured to an interface board (i.e., a printed circuit board (PCB)) and assembled with a substrate (e.g., a wafer having integrated circuitry thereon, a PCB, etc.). The resilient contact probes electrically contact the terminal pads of the interface board and the electrical contacts of the substrate to enable electrical testing of the substrate. The configuration of the resilient contact probes, in combination with the carrier body, enables preferential, high mechanical loading of the terminal pads with controlled, predictable loading of the electrical contacts. Methods of making and use are also disclosed, as are a plurality of embodiments of resilient contact probes.

1 . A method of forming a resilient contact probe apparatus for making a temporary electrical connection with at least one electrical device, comprising: 
 providing a carrier body extending substantially in a plane and having a first surface and an opposing second surface;    forming a plurality of openings extending from the first surface to the second surface; and    inserting a resilient contact probe into at least some of the plurality of openings of the carrier body, each of the resilient contact probes comprising: 
 a first end region including a first contact end, a second end region including a second contact end, and an intermediate region therebetween, wherein the first end region of each of the resilient contact probes includes a portion comprising a first lateral dimension greater than a second lateral dimension that defines at least a portion of the opening adjacent the first end region.  
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 selecting the carrier body to be a unitary carrier body.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 selecting the carrier body to be formed from an organic material, a ceramic material, a glass material, or a silicon material.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 securing an interface board having a contact surface including a plurality of terminal pads thereon to the carrier body, the contact surface opposing the first surface of the carrier body;    providing a seal element extending peripherally about the carrier body and contacting the contact surface of the interface board;    providing a substrate having a surface including a plurality of electrical contacts thereon to be received within at least a portion of an interior region defined by the seal element, the surface of the substrate opposing the second surface of the carrier body; and    contacting the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate.    
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the contacting the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate comprises: 
 providing a substantially planar chuck member having a vacuum port to contact a back surface of the substrate and a portion of the seal element; and    applying at least a partial vacuum communicated through the vacuum port to cause the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to be in electrical communication with terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the applying the at least a partial vacuum causes the first contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to load terminal pads of the interface board to a greater degree than the second contact end loads electrical contacts of the substrate.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the applying the at least a partial vacuum causes the first surface of the carrier body to urge the first contact end of each of the resilient contact probes to contact terminal pads on the contact surface of the interface board and the second contact end of each of the resilient contact probes to contact electrical contacts on the surface of the substrate.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 forming a plurality of spacer elements disposed and located at predetermined locations on the second surface of the carrier body.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 selecting the substrate to be a semiconductor substrate or a printed circuit board.    
   
   
       10 . A method of forming a resilient contact probe apparatus for making a temporary electrical connection with at least one electrical device, comprising: 
 providing a carrier body extending substantially in a plane and having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and a layer of compliant material secured over the first surface of the carrier body;    forming a plurality of openings extending from the first surface to the second surface of the carrier body and a plurality of apertures through the layer of compliant material, each of the plurality of apertures aligned with openings of the plurality of openings; and    inserting a resilient contact probe into at least some of the plurality of openings of the carrier body and into apertures of the layer of compliant material aligned therewith, each of the resilient contact probes comprising: 
 a first end region including a first contact end, a second end region including a second contact end, and an intermediate region therebetween, wherein the first end region of each of the resilient contact probes includes a portion comprising a first lateral dimension greater than a second lateral dimension that defines at least a portion of the opening adjacent the first end region.  
   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the forming the plurality of openings and the plurality of apertures is effected by drilling through the layer of compliant material and the carrier body.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 heating the carrier body including the layer of compliant material and the resilient contact probes to cause the compliant material of the layer to laterally expand to engage the resilient contact probe passing therethrough.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 selecting the compliant material to comprise a resilient, nonconductive material.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 selecting the layer of compliant material to comprise a silicone-based elastomer or a fluorocarbon polymer.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 selecting the carrier body to be a unitary carrier body.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 selecting a material for the carrier body to be formed from an organic material, a ceramic material, a glass material, or a silicon material.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 securing an interface board having a contact surface including a plurality of terminal pads thereon to the carrier body, the contact surface opposing the first surface of the carrier body;    providing a seal element extending peripherally about the carrier body and contacting the contact surface of the interface board;    providing a substrate having a surface including a plurality of electrical contacts thereon to be received within at least a portion of an interior region defined by the seal element, the surface of the substrate opposing the second surface of the carrier body; and    contacting the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the contacting the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate comprises: 
 providing a substantially planar chuck member having a vacuum port to contact a back surface of the substrate and a portion of the seal; and    applying at least a partial vacuum communicated through the vacuum port to cause the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to be in electrical communication with terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the applying the at least the partial vacuum causes the first contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to load terminal pads of the interface board to a greater degree than the second contact end loads electrical contacts of the substrate.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the applying the at least the partial vacuum causes the first surface of the carrier body to urge the first contact end of each of the resilient contact probes to contact terminal pads on the contact surface of the interface board and the second contact end of each of the resilient contact probes to contact electrical contacts on the surface of the substrate.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 forming a plurality of spacer elements disposed and located at predetermined locations on the second surface of the carrier body.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 selecting the substrate to be a semiconductor substrate or a printed circuit board.    
   
   
       23 . A method of forming a resilient contact probe apparatus for making a temporary electrical connection with at least one electrical device, comprising: 
 providing a carrier body extending substantially in a plane and having a first surface, an opposing second surface, and a plurality of openings extending from the first surface to the second surface;    securing a layer of compliant material over the first surface of the carrier body;    forming a plurality of apertures through the layer of compliant material, each of the plurality of apertures aligned with openings of the plurality of openings; and    inserting a resilient contact probe into at least some of the plurality of openings of the carrier body and apertures of the layer of compliant material aligned therewith, each of the resilient contact probes comprising: 
 a first end region including a first contact end, a second end region including a second contact end, and an intermediate region therebetween, wherein the first end region of each of the resilient contact probes includes a portion comprising a first lateral dimension greater than a second lateral dimension that defines at least a portion of the opening adjacent the first end region.  
   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the forming the plurality of apertures is effected by piercing through the layer of compliant material.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 heating the carrier body including the layer of compliant material and the resilient contact probes to cause the compliant material of the layer to laterally expand to engage the resilient contact probe passing therethrough.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 selecting the compliant material to comprise a resilient, nonconductive material.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 selecting the layer of compliant material to comprise a silicone-based elastomer or a fluorocarbon polymer.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 selecting the carrier body to be a unitary carrier body.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 selecting a material for the carrier body to be formed from an organic material, a ceramic material, a glass material, or a silicon material.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 securing an interface board having a contact surface including a plurality of terminal pads thereon to the carrier body, the contact surface opposing the first surface of the carrier body;    providing a seal element extending peripherally about the carrier body and contacting the contact surface of the interface board;    providing a substrate having a surface including a plurality of electrical contacts thereon to be received within at least a portion of an interior region defined by the seal element, the surface of the substrate opposing the second surface of the carrier body; and    contacting the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate.    
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the contacting the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate comprises: 
 providing a substantially planar chuck member having a vacuum port to contact a back surface of the substrate and a portion of the seal element; and    applying at least a partial vacuum communicated through the vacuum port to cause the first contact end and the second contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to be in electrical communication with terminal pads of the interface board and electrical contacts of the substrate.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the applying the at least the partial vacuum causes the first contact end of at least some of the resilient contact probes to load terminal pads of the interface board to a greater degree than the second contact end loads electrical contacts of the substrate.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the applying the at least the partial vacuum causes the first surface of the carrier body to urge the first contact end of each of the resilient contact probes to contact terminal pads on the contact surface of the interface board and the second contact end of each of the resilient contact probes to contact electrical contacts on the surface of the substrate.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 forming a plurality of spacer elements disposed and located at predetermined locations on the second surface of the carrier body.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 selecting the substrate to be a semiconductor substrate or a printed circuit board.